2015 National Christmas Tree

In honor of the National Park Service Centennial, the design for the 2015 National Christmas Tree features sparkling gold and silvery white, colors that are traditionally used for milestone celebrations.

This is the seventh consecutive year that LED lights have been used exclusively to light the National Christmas Tree and the 53rd year that GE has provided the lighting.

Warm white micro-net lights provide the baseline layer of light, topped with twinkling icicle lights that provide texture and subtle animation. To create vertical garland bands down the tree, gold net lights are encased with dramatic gold mesh ribbons that enhance the nighttime and daytime appearance. Illuminated pure white star ornaments are arranged along the gold ribbon, providing a pleasing silver color contrast. The stars pay tribute to the National Park Service Centennial – 100 years of enjoying national parks, the “shining stars” across our nation. The heirloom star-shaped topper, with commercial Tetra®Max LED signage product, once again adorns the top of the tree.

The combined wattage of the approximately 600 LED net lights and icicle lights, and the LED star ornaments – all Energy Star® qualified – is about 6,000 watts. The total cost to light this tree over the holiday season, from dusk to about 10p.m., is approximately $150. That is about one-fifth of what a comparable design would be with incandescent lights. In terms of environmental impact, using LEDs saves nearly 7,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions and would avoid burning more than one ton of coal.

“GE is proud to be part of this very special holiday tradition. Light inspires us. Light helps us to celebrate. And with LED technology, we can be more creative, more energy efficient and environmentally responsible than ever before,” said Mary Beth Gotti, manager of the GE Lighting Institute in Cleveland, Ohio.